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nicolepeck 's review for:
Reached
by Ally Condie
This is a tentative 4, really more like 3.5 because I do have issues with the author's writing style, still. I actually liked it about the same or a little more than Crossed, and I read this one quicker than the other two. It didn't seem to drag for me like those did, and I did enjoy the concept she presented and how she unfolded the story. I guess my personal issue with these teen triologies I keep reading is the main female character. I just don't connect to her or her love interest and feel like the third wheel is usually the better match (for me, probably, not necessarily the main character, who I would like). That said, while I knew Cassia would end up with Ky and not Xander like I really felt she should, I was nonetheless pleased with how the author wrapped up the love triangle.
The major issue I had with the writing style in this book was the abrupt timeline changes the author would make within a chapter. Since she told each chapter from either Ky's, Cassia's, or Xander's perspective, an abrupt timeline change in the middle would throw me. All of a sudden it was like another day and I was confused until a few pages later she told me it was another day not the same day. Too abrupt for me. I'm still in the moment of the last scene that happened. I need a segue into the next scene. I did like it being told from all 3 perspectives, but often I would forget to look at the chapter heading to see who it was for that chapter and then would have to go back and look because I'd be lost again, my own fault.
I was impressed with the author's use of medicine in the book and Xander's role as a physic (which I kept reading as psychic, LOL). That was the most fascinating to me. My job is in the medical field, so I was familiar with the terminology and it made sense to me, not far-fetched. As the author thanked a pathologist and another doctor in her acknowledgements, she did her research and based her imagined scenario in real science, which I appreciate. If it's too far fetched, it's not believable to me.
Again, I'm not a fan of Ky and Cassia's relationship. I think it just basically boils down to I didn't like either of their personalities, especially Ky's in this book. I liked him better in the first book, he had character in that one in his interactions with the others, but in this one he just had attitude.
I did like how the author tied back in things from the first book and also the second book, like what really happened to Ky's cousin, the Markhams' son. There were a few things left unresolved at the end. Where were Aida, Patrick, and Matthew? What will happen with the residents of the Society/Rising now? Where exactly is the Otherlands? Where exactly is the Society (geographically)? But it was left in a manner that I wasn't left feeling like I had an excessive amount of questions, it was just that there are lots of possibilities for these characters and that they seem to be strong enough to do good things with their opportunities.
An interesting end to the series and (besides my personal issues stylistically), I did enjoy the story and how it was told. I also liked that it's a clean read I wouldn't mind my kids reading. No sex and only one instance of, I believe, "damn."
Content: One swear word but nothing else.
The major issue I had with the writing style in this book was the abrupt timeline changes the author would make within a chapter. Since she told each chapter from either Ky's, Cassia's, or Xander's perspective, an abrupt timeline change in the middle would throw me. All of a sudden it was like another day and I was confused until a few pages later she told me it was another day not the same day. Too abrupt for me. I'm still in the moment of the last scene that happened. I need a segue into the next scene. I did like it being told from all 3 perspectives, but often I would forget to look at the chapter heading to see who it was for that chapter and then would have to go back and look because I'd be lost again, my own fault.
I was impressed with the author's use of medicine in the book and Xander's role as a physic (which I kept reading as psychic, LOL). That was the most fascinating to me. My job is in the medical field, so I was familiar with the terminology and it made sense to me, not far-fetched. As the author thanked a pathologist and another doctor in her acknowledgements, she did her research and based her imagined scenario in real science, which I appreciate. If it's too far fetched, it's not believable to me.
Again, I'm not a fan of Ky and Cassia's relationship. I think it just basically boils down to I didn't like either of their personalities, especially Ky's in this book. I liked him better in the first book, he had character in that one in his interactions with the others, but in this one he just had attitude.
I did like how the author tied back in things from the first book and also the second book, like what really happened to Ky's cousin, the Markhams' son. There were a few things left unresolved at the end. Where were Aida, Patrick, and Matthew? What will happen with the residents of the Society/Rising now? Where exactly is the Otherlands? Where exactly is the Society (geographically)? But it was left in a manner that I wasn't left feeling like I had an excessive amount of questions, it was just that there are lots of possibilities for these characters and that they seem to be strong enough to do good things with their opportunities.
An interesting end to the series and (besides my personal issues stylistically), I did enjoy the story and how it was told. I also liked that it's a clean read I wouldn't mind my kids reading. No sex and only one instance of, I believe, "damn."
Content: One swear word but nothing else.